Best Black Currant Varieties
- Ben Connan. Out of all of the varieties, ‘Ben Connan’ black currants is the heaviest producing one, with up to 7 pounds...
- Crusader. Crusader black currants are a rust-resistant variety that consistently produces medium-sized fruit. The...
- Consort. Consort fruits are smaller, but they have that sharp, characteristic taste that you want the...
What is the best type of black currant tree?
Best Black Currant Varieties 1 Ben Connan. Out of all of the varieties, ‘Ben Connan’ black currants is the heaviest producing one, with up to 7 pounds of berries off of one plant. 2 Crusader. Crusader black currants are a rust-resistant variety that consistently produces medium-sized fruit. ... 3 Consort. ... 4 Ebony. ... 5 Titania. ...
Are there any new varieties of blackcurrants in Russia?
Recently, the State Register of the Russian Federation has included several new varieties of blackcurrant: In memory of Kuminova. Their main advantage is high immunity to diseases and pests. New varieties are well adapted to low temperatures and drought.
What are the different types of currants?
1 Red Currants. Red currants are typically used for jellies, juice, purees and other culinary purposes, with a few exceptions. 2 White Currants. White currants (Ribes petraeum, R. ... 3 Pink Currants. Pink currants (Ribes vulgare) are intermediate between red and white currants, with pink flesh and colorless skin. 4 Black Currants. ...
How much does a blackcurrant weigh?
With the mass of one blackcurrant berry more than 1.5 g, the variety is classified as large-fruited. Among these varieties there are also frost-resistant ones that easily adapt to heat and low humidity. Elite large-fruited variety of currants. The weight of the berries reaches 8 g.
What are the best blackcurrants to grow?
Blackcurrant varieties to try Blackcurrant 'Ebony' – a good, disease-resistant variety, producing very sweet, large fruits from early to mid-July. Plants have a slightly open, spreading habit for easy picking.
What is the best tasting currant?
Many people consider 'Rovada' to be the best red currant cultivar. Plants are dependable, vigorous, late ripening, and very productive, bearing long-stemmed clusters of large red berries that are easy to pick.
Where is the best place to plant blackcurrant bushes?
full sunWhere and when to plant. Blackcurrants prefer well-drained but moisture-retentive soil, although they will cope in most other soil conditions. They prefer full sun, but will tolerate light shade. Avoid sites prone to cold winds or late frosts, which can damage the flowers and reduce the crop.
How long does black currant take to grow?
It takes at least 2 years to produce a good standard Blackcurrant so the price is much more expensive than a normal bush. Cultivation as to soil requirements and pruning is just the same, there is no difference.
What is the sweetest blackcurrant?
EbonyBlackcurrant 'Ebony' is the sweetest blackcurrant! This outstanding dessert variety is so exceptionally sweet that it can be eaten straight from the bush when fully ripe. Heavy crops of large, firm currants – each one up to twice the size of a normal blackcurrant – are produced for harvesting from early to mid July.
What currents are the sweetest?
White currants are the sweetest of the three currant colors – sweet, and tart with floral undertones. Although the fruits are the primary source of food from the plant, the leaves and tender, young shoots are also edible.
Do I need 2 blackcurrant bushes?
Not self-fertile; must be planted with another black currant variety to produce fruit. High yields of large high-quality berries are borne earlier - within three years of planting - than other varieties. Very vigorous, tall plants (to 6 feet) are immune to blister rust.
How much space do you need between blackcurrant bushes?
You will need some space if planting more than one blackcurrant bush; you will need at least a metre, preferably 1.5m, between each plant. Soak the plant well for 20 minutes before planting. Dig a hole a little larger and deeper than the pot or root ball.
Do I need more than one blackcurrant bush?
Just one plant can provide a generous crop of berries. If blackcurrant bushes are kept well fed and watered you could be harvesting fruit a year after planting.
What can you not plant with blackcurrants?
Blackcurrants do not grow well with companion plants, so it is best to plant them alone. However, they do tolerate other currant varieties, including white currant and redcurrant, and, as a major exception, wormwood.
Can you plant raspberries and blackcurrants together?
The site of the old raspberry bed can safely be a home to unrelated fruits such as currants, strawberries or rhubarb as long as it has been improved and fed well beforehand.
Do blackcurrant bushes need trellis?
Black currants commence ripening in early Summer. Grow your canes against a wall or fence, or support with a fence or trellis. Best grown in areas with a cold Winter as a 'chilling period' will assist fruit set. Black currants prefer a full sun position and grows best when given shelter from strong hot winds.
What is the sweetest red currant?
It is enjoyed for its productivity and large berries. "Pink Champagne" is among the sweetest of currants.
Do golden currants taste good?
The berries are an excellent native food source by themselves and are also useful in recipes for their wonderful flavor sweetened into jams, jellies, pies, or even currant ice cream.
Do currants taste good?
With their sweet, sour, and slightly woodsy herbal notes, currants taste great on their own or with just a sprinkle of sugar. They also work well in both sweet and savory dishes.
What is the difference between red and black currants?
Red currants have a mild, sweet flavor. More distinctive and richer in vitamin C, black currants are pungent with a sweet-tart flavor similar to blackberries. Additionally, black currant leaves have an odd, musky scent.
The best early varieties of black currant
This rating category represents woody plants with juicy berries that appear at the end of the first summer month. In the southern regions, maturation begins at the beginning of the season. Since they wake up by mid-spring, they are more susceptible to frost in the spring and low temperatures in winter more than other varieties.
The best mid-season blackcurrant varieties
By the end of the first summer month, fruits ripen on mid-season currant varieties. They contain a lot of useful vitamins, so the culture has become very popular with gardeners.
The best late varieties of black currant
At the end of the summer season, the following representatives of the rating begin to bear fruit. Late varieties of currants have time to undergo various misfortunes in the form of fungi and pests, therefore, they need protection from pathogenic microorganisms.
The sweetest varieties of black currant
The generative organs of the varieties of the next category of the rating are distinguished by a high sucrose content – more than 12 percent. They also contain vitamin C, which makes the taste sour. Nature has provided natural protection against sugar-susceptible pests. It is the dense skin of a fruit that resembles grapes.
How many blackcurrant varieties are there?
Lots of blackcurrant varieties exist all over the world. New cultivars are being bred in almost every blackcurrant growing country. It is certainly difficult to make the right choice among over 150 cultivars. The criteria of the fruit growers may be economic (time of flowering and harvesting, yield potential…) or agronomic (resistance to diseases for example).
Do processors accept currants?
What is of interest to processors, though, has much more to do with the chemical composition of the fruits: acidity, sugar content, color, taste…. Some processors will accept only certain currants to achieve the best result in their products. This is the case, for example, for the production of Ribena in the UK.
Large-fruited varieties of black currant
Varieties with large berries are pleasing to the eye and are highly productive. They are easy and pleasant to harvest, many are self-pollinating, which makes them even more productive. The best of these currants are sweet, flavorful, and store well.
The sweetest varieties
Sweet varieties include varieties with a sugar content of more than 10% in berries. Most types of currants do not reach this indicator. From such varieties of bush currants, jams and desserts are tastier. Sweet fruits are best eaten by children, who often ignore the berry, considering it sour.
Repaired views
Gardeners do not know anything about the presence of remontant species of black currant. Some summer residents consider varieties to be remontant, the berries on which do not crumble for a long time and hang until autumn.
Drought and frost tolerant varieties
For our northern country, with low rainfall in many regions, we have to look for varieties of currants that will withstand frost and at the same time will be drought-resistant.
Disease resistant
You should choose a variety of black currant, focusing not only on taste, yield and compliance with the region, but also taking into account the resistance against infection with parasites and diseases.
Early varieties of black currant
Black currant bushes bloom in mid-May, but ripen at different times. You can choose a variety not only by taste and resistance to adverse factors, but also by ripeness.
Late ripening
They bloom along with other types of black currants, ripen for a long time, gradually gaining taste and smell, therefore they are the sweetest and most fragrant. Most varieties are fruitful, with a dense skin. Stored for a long time. They ripen in turn - you also need to collect them so that the finished fruits do not crack and fall to the ground.
How many types of black currants are there?
Typically, you’ll only select one type to avoid cross-pollination, unless you have separate areas to plant the bushes. There are two types of black currants: American and European.
Where are black currants native to?
There are two types of black currants: American and European. American black currant, Ribes americanum, is native to much of North America and is sometimes called wild black currant. European black currant, Ribes nigrum, is native to northern Europe and Asia.
What is the easiest fruit to grow?
Adding fruit bushes to your garden feels a bit intimidating, but black currants are one of the easiest, yet underrated, fruit bushes to grow. Growing black currants provides your family with bunches of delicious, dark purple to black fruits with little fuss.
How many pounds of black currants are in one plant?
Out of all of the varieties, ‘Ben Connan’ black currants is the heaviest producing one, with up to 7 pounds of berries off of one plant. The plants are compact, so this type works well for containers. The berries are larger than normal and the plant has excellent disease resistance to mildew.
Why are black currants so sweet?
This variety is considered to be one of the sweetest black currants. These berries are best eaten fresh because their flavor tends to be reduced when cooked. The berries are larger than average, but it’s not considered a vigorous plant, so you get less of them.
How many types of vegetables does Bethany grow?
Bethany is a suburban homesteader who grows over 30 types of vegetables in her garden every year to provide the vegetables needed to feed her family of six for the entire year. She practices organic gardening without the use of any pesticide and chemical.
When to harvest black currants?
When you’re harvesting black currants, it’s important to remember that the riper they get, the less acidic they are. Harvest when the berries are dry and firm.
What is Black Currant?
Black currant is a deciduous shrub that produces edible berries. It’s probably the most famous species of all currants.
Types of Currants
As mentioned in the previous section, black currant is just one type of currants. Here are other currant varieties that you could grow in your garden if you want to complement the black currant:
Black Currant Varieties
There are multiple black currant varieties, such as Ben Connan, Ben Hope, Ben Lomond, Ben Sarek, Big Ben, Blackdown, Ebony, Crandall Foxendown, and Titania.
How to Grow Black Currant
There are two ways to grow the black currant shrub: from seeds or using a potted sapling.
Black Currant Care
This section describes the growing conditions for black currant shrubs when it comes to soil, water, fertilizer, pruning, and pests and diseases.
Harvesting Black Currant
Compared to other types of currants, it’s easy to tell when black currant berries are ripe since they turn blue-black, and the skin becomes glossy. The surest way to tell is by picking a berry and tasting it. If it’s sweet, your berries are ready to harvest, so you should pick them before the birds do.
Conclusion
To review, it’s possible to grow black currant shrubs in your garden, but it’s essential to pick a good variety.
Cultivation
Black currants do not need full sunlight, being happy in morning sun and afternoon shade locations. They can also grow in full shade but will produce less fruit in such areas. Be sure to avoid any known frost pockets on your property to protect them from late spring cold.
13. Wild Black Currants (Ribes americanum Saxifragaceae)
The Wild Black Currant ( Ribes americanum) is a North American flowering shrub that produces edible fruits that can be used in various sweets, including jams, jellies, and pies. It is closely related to gooseberries.
Distribution
The wild black currant generally grows in all but the westernmost states and provinces of North America, generally above the Mason-Dixon line. It prefers shady, low-lying damp woodlands. Its success throughout this range varies, with the plant being considered endangered in Maryland and an invasive weed in Michigan.
Toxicity
A raisin made from small black Cornith or Champaign grapes is sold as Zante currants in the United States. They are commonly used in Irish soda bread and scones and can be highly toxic to domestic animals like dogs and cats. True black currants are not related to the Zante currants and do not appear harmful to pets.
What is the best currant to eat?
White currants (Ribes petraeum, R. rubrum or R. vulgare) have lower acidity than other currants, often making them more suitable for fresh eating. The best white currant cultivars are almost transparent. "White Imperial," among the most widely available of currants, produces a large number of small berries with relatively low acidity. "White Dutch" features early-ripening, sweet and juicy berries and vigorous, productive canes, though berries may be small and unevenly sized. Like red currants, white currants are generally self-fruitful but can benefit from cross-pollination with another white or red variety.
What are black currants good for?
Most black currants (Ribes nigrum or Ribes ussuriense) have a strong flavor that makes them more suitable for jellies, syrups or other processed foods than for fresh eating , though there are exceptions. California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc. asserts that the best-flavored black currant berries are produced by "Noir de Bourgogne" and that "Boskoop Giant" also features a good flavor. "Titania" and "Ben Sarek" produce large berries sweet enough to eat fresh if left to ripen on the vine. "Wellington XXX" and "Willoughby" can withstand a greater amount of sun than other cultivars. Black currants are partially self-sterile, so plant two varieties near each other for good fruit set.
What is a red currant?
Red Currants. Red currants are typically used for jellies, juice, purees and other culinary purposes, with a few exceptions. "Cascade" features large fruit with high sugar content and good flavor, "Red Lake" is a vigorous cultivar with protracted bloom and ripening periods, and "Wilder" has a spreading habit and is very productive.
What is the sweetest fruit?
The Sweetest Currant Varieties. Currants, multiple species within the genus Ribes, are fast-growing deciduous shrubs enjoyed for their strigs of fruit that are typically classified by color. Multiple varieties of each color are grown for relatively sweet or flavorful fruit.
